Typically, lap or length counters for use during swimming races are plastic devices which have number cards to indicate the number of laps or lengths the swimmers have completed. The numbers are on hinged cards or plates, such that the cards or plates are flipped to show the next number each time the swimmer completes a lap. The cards, and the base they are mounted to, are plastic so that the entire indicator can be submersed into the water to show the swimmer how many laps they have completed, whereby the swimmer does not have to raise his or her head above the water to see the lap indicator. However, the plastic cards often break from their plastic hinges, and thus are often in need of maintenance or replacement. Also, the plastic cards require manual flipping of the cards to show the next number, and are typically confusing to use.
Other lap indicators have been proposed which provide a digital readout to indicate the number of laps completed by the swimmer. However, such an indicator device is typically clamped to the wall of the swimming pool with the digital readout positioned at an upper portion of the device, such that the digital readout is not submersed under the water for viewing by the swimmer underwater. The device includes a touchpad which is positioned at a lower portion of the device so as to be submersed beneath the water when the device is clamped to the wall. The swimmer may then touch the touchpad at the wall to advance the lap count. Such a device typically has a small readout, since the readout is for viewing by a person holding the indicator or for viewing by a swimmer above the water and not for underwater viewing by the swimmer during the race. Also, such devices may be expensive due to the touch pad circuitry.